Above the Fold
**BLAGOJEVICH *WAS* ON “THE APPRENTICE”:** Trump commutes sentence of ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, grants clemency to 10 others ([CNBC](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/18/trump-expected-to-grant-clemency-to-rod-blagojevich-bernard-kerik.html))
CLOSING ARGUMENTS BEFORE THE CAUCUS: The ninth Democratic presidential debate is set for Wednesday in Las Vegas, and it will feature a new billionaire on the stage (NBC News)
MEMO TO MICHAEL: Bloomberg School of Public Health says there’s no evidence “assault weapon” bans reduce mass shootings (The Daily Wire)
Government & Politics
**DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO:** Bernie Sanders says Bloomberg’s money is “offensive,” refuses to say if he would accept a donation from the billionaire ([The Daily Wire](https://www.dailywire.com/news/bernie-says-bloombergs-money-is-offensive-refuses-to-say-if-he-would-accept-bloomberg-donation))
FAKE NEWS: DOJ pushes back at reports William Barr considered quitting over Trump tweets (Fox News)
THE FIRST STEP TO RECOVERY: Trump acknowledges Barr’s complaint about his tweets: “I do make his job harder” (National Review)
Culture & Heartland
**[NOT ISOLATED EVENTS](https://patriotpost.us/opinion/68684-vandalizing-our-history-2020-02-19):** Plymouth Rock, other historic monuments vandalized on anniversary of Pilgrims landing ([The Federalist](https://thefederalist.com/2020/02/18/plymouth-rock-other-historic-monuments-vandalized-on-anniversary-of-pilgrims-landing/))
LEFTISM FATIGUE: Secession in the Pacific Northwest? Some Oregon residents petition to join Idaho (USA Today)
Other Notables
**BUT HIS OPPONENT CLAIMS VICTORY TOO:** President Ashraf Ghani named Afghan election winner after five-month dispute over the vote ([The New York Times](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/18/world/asia/afghanistan-election-ashraf-ghani.html))
CRACKDOWN ON COMMUNIST RHETORIC: U.S. imposes new rules on state-owned Chinese media over propaganda concerns (Reuters)
Closing Arguments
**POLICY:** The hammer and sickle should be treated like the swastika ([Foundation for Economic Education](https://fee.org/articles/why-the-hammer-and-sickle-should-be-treated-like-the-swastika/))
POLICY: School vouchers improve public schools (National Review)
HUMOR: Bernie Sanders selects Bernie Madoff as running mate, citing experience in Ponzi schemes (Genesius Times)
For more of today’s editors’ choice headlines, visit In Our Sights.
The Patriot Post is a certified ad-free news service, unlike third-party commercial news sites linked on this page, which may also require a paid subscription.
